The present invention relates generally to storage of fluids within vehicular enclosures.
Self-propelled transport vehicles such as submarines, rockets and aircraft usually store therein fluids such as liquid or gaseous fuels, as well as air, water and equipment for use by personnel during travel within such vehicles. Conventionally, the liquid or gaseous fuels are stored for consumption during travel by tanks which occupy and thereby limit the internal volume of the vehicle as well as to add to its total weight. External storage of such fuels on the vehicle are often prohibited by hydrodynamic or aerodynamic considerations associated with seawater or aerospace environments. Attempts to deal with the foregoing fluid storage problems heretofore involved fabrication methods and constructional materials that are costly. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide less costly and more efficient storage of fluids such as fuels, water or air within vehicles used for transportation of personnel and equipment, such as marine vessel hulls, rockets and aircraft fuselages.
In accordance with the present invention, the tubular enclosure of a transport vehicle such as a marine vessel hull, an aerospace rocket or an aircraft fuselage stores fluids such as liquid or gaseous fuels to be consumed within an outer peripheral portion of the tubular enclosure established between an outer protective shell of the transport vehicle structure and an inner support layer. Sandwiched between the outer shell and inner support layer forming the outer peripheral portion of the tubular enclosure are flexible hoses within which a continuous storage passage is formed for reception and storage of the fluids therein. The flexible hoses are helically wound to facilitate disposition within the outer peripheral portion of the tubular enclosure protected from the external travel environment by the outer shell, with insulation filling interstices about the hoses for thermal protection of the fluids stored therein. The foregoing structural arrangement combines the functions of fluid storing tankage and vehicle envelope support in a most efficient manner.